Overview

Adopted in Helsinki in 1992, the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), serviced by UNECE, is a unique international legal instrument and intergovernmental platform which aims to ensure the sustainable use of transboundary water resources by facilitating cooperation. Initially negotiated as a regional instrument, it has been opened up for accession to all UN Member States in 2016. It currently has 44 Parties. The Water Convention support countries through the application of its strategy for implementation at global level and its current programme of work for 2019-2021, which aims to strengthen cooperation and partnerships for the management of transboundary waters worldwide in order to promote sustainable development and peace. The Programme of Work supports policy processes and technical cooperation from the national, to the basin and global levels and focuses on various topics such as adaptation to climate change, the water-food-energy-ecosystem nexus approach or the sustainable financing of transboundary water cooperation. The Protocol on Water and Health, jointly serviced by UNECE and WHO office for Europe , is a unique legally binding instrument aiming to protect human health by better water management and by reducing water-related diseases. Adopted in 1999 and opened for accession to all pan-European countries, the Protocol provides a practical framework to translate into practice the human rights to water and sanitation and to implement SDG 6, addressing the main challenges related to water, sanitation and health in the pan-European region. It currently has 27 Parties. The Protocol supports countries in areas such as preventing and reducing water-related diseases; institutional water, sanitation and hygiene; small-scale water supplies and sanitation, safe and efficient management of water supply and sanitation systems and equitable access to water and sanitation.